1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an apparatus for performing upper body exercises and more particularly, to a portable exercise apparatus with telescoping ends and adjustable grip handles that a user can grasp in order to perform a variety of exercises.
2. Prior Art
Presently, there is an increased awareness of the importance of good health. The medical industry has made significant technological advances and people are more aware of the positive effect that proper diet and exercise can have on life expectancy. Toward that end, an increasing number of people closely monitor their diet and participate in some form of physical exercise in order to maintain their health and increase their chances of living longer.
The active and busy lifestyles of many individuals often necessitates an exercise program that can be completed in a short period of time without having to travel a long distance to a gym or other exercise facility. The ability to exercise outdoors in one's neighborhood is often negatively impacted by adverse weather conditions, limited number of daylight hours, traffic, and the prevalence of criminal activity. Therefore, indoor exercise in one's home, office or hotel room is often the best and most convenient choice for a place to exercise. Perhaps the most common indoor exercises are pull-ups and chin-ups. Such types of exercise require minimum equipment in terms of size and cost. Pull-ups and chin-ups may be done on any convenient horizontal bar or support which may be grasped by a user. Such activities may be performed using any number of devices of modest cost and size that may be mounted with respect to a door opening. The great majority of devices of this type require coupling through screws or the like to the periphery of a door opening. Such coupling, however, normally involves defacing of the door that leaves an unsightly appearance when the device is removed.
One other disadvantage of a straight pull-up or chin-up bar is that it limits the number of exercises, and therefore, the number and type of muscles that can be exercised. Current exercise training programs focus much more narrowly on individual muscles in order to ensure a more comprehensive exercise program. An adjustable exercise bar with adjustable appendages mounted to it would enable a user to exercise more upper body muscles than an ordinary straight pull-up or chin-up bar does.
Accordingly, a need remains for a portable and adjustable exercise apparatus that will fit different sizes of openings, not deface the surface it is secured to, and provide adjustable appendages for exercising varied upper body muscles.